The first was discussion of an agreement with Sebastian County for an aquatics center. The second was discussion, “to the extent possible,” Merry wrote, “of the emails and media releases on employees and their observance of your chain of command protocols.”

The latter issue stems from an email City Administrator Ray Gosack sent Thursday to city employees reiterating a policy on workplace concerns. Gosack stated that instances in which employees recently took their concerns directly to the Board of Directors were against city policy.

City Clerk Sherri Gard’s office polled directors to gauge interest in adding the items to Tuesday’s agenda. Because of the timeliness of the requests, consent from four directors was required.

“Directors (Pam) Weber and (George) Catsavis consented to each individual item included in Director Merry’s request,” an email from Gard states.

Directors have set a date of March 11 to meet in executive session for consideration of applications to a new committee of between 20-30 residents tasked with updating Fort Smith’s 11-year-old Comprehensive Plan.

That special meeting is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. at the Creekmore Park community room.

An extended deadline for applications was Friday. The city received more than 70 applications.

Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee members will spend 18 months reviewing where they’d like to see Fort Smith in the decades to come.

In January, the Board of Directors authorized an agreement with planning consultant Wallace Roberts & Todd LLC for the Comprehensive Plan update. Cost to the city is $339,976.

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